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Monday, 30 April 2012

I had all sorts of grandiose ideas when I
started on a castle theme for A-Z this year. I always knew certain letters
would give problems but there turned out to be more than I expected – it wasn’t
just Q, X and Z. I won’t tell what the others were. Trying to deal with only
castles that were haunted turned out to be impossible. I even had to desert Britain and Ireland
in favour of Germany
for X.

Thanks to Old Glenbucket, when I did Glenbuchat
for G, for giving me an idea to finish with on Z. Glenbuchat is what is known
as a Z-Plan castle.

I found that there is even a Facebook page for
Z-Plan castles – not that it tells you much:

“Z
Plan is a form of castle design common in England and Scotland. The Z-plan castle
has a strong central rectangular tower with smaller towers attached at
diagonally opposite corners.

A variant on the Z plan is the C plan, in which the two
smaller towers are attached at adjacent corners of the main tower.”

It also gave three examples, one of which was
Glenbuchat. However I just had to check out Castle Fraser which is reputed to
be the most elaborate example of a Z-Plan castle in Scotland.

Castle Fraser, near Kemnay, Aberdeenshire

The five-storey Z-Plan castle was begun in 1575
by the 6th Laird of Fraser and completed in 1636. The castle was
modernised in a classical style in the late 18th century under the
supervision of the lady laird, Elyza Fraser with the interiors reconstructed
again between 1820 and 1850 by Charles Fraser. New owners carried out a partial
restoration of the castle in about 1950 with much of the 19th
century work removed to reveal earlier fabric.

Built as the home of the Frasers the castle
passed down through the Lords Fraser and then into the Mackenzie family who
took the name Mackenzie Fraser. The last male heir died childless in 1897. In
1921 the castle was sold to the 1st Viscount Cowdray whose family
restored the castle as a shooting lodge and gifted it to the National Trust for
Scotland
in 1976.

I’m please to say that there is a legendary
ghost associated with the castle.

A young princess staying at the castle was brutally murdered while asleep
in the 'Green Room'. Her body dragged down the stone stairs, left a trail of
blood stains. The occupants of the castle could not scrub out the stains no
matter how they tried and were forced to cover the steps with wood panelling,
which can be seen today. It’s said the princess still stalks the halls of the
castle during the night.

There is a much more mundane explanation for the panelling - the stone
stairs were covered to make them easier to climb when they were used as the
stairs for the servants in the 19th century.

As this is the last post this year I thought I
present another Z-Plan
Castle, again with a
ghost or two.

Ballindalloch Castle

Ballindalloch Castle
lies between Dufftown and Granton-on-Spey in the Moray region of Scotland. The
first tower was built in 1546, The castle was restored in 1645 after it had ben plundered and burned
by the first Marquess of Montrose. General James Grant extended the castle in
1770; Thomas MacKenzie added more in 1850. 1878 extensions were mostly
demolished during modernisations in 1965.

Ballindalloch Castle has been continuously occupied by
the Russell and Macpherson-Grant families throughout its existence.

The ghosts?

General
James Grant, Laird of Ballindalloch 1720-1806 – a British General in the
American War of Independence.

‘The
Green Lady’ whose ghost haunts the Ballindalloch dining hall

Muness Castle

The ruins of Muness
Castle are located on the island of Unst, Shetland. Unst is the most
northerly inhabited island in Britain.

The remains of the castle consist
of just over two storeys of the three-storey Z-Plan arrangement. The corner
towers are circular rather than square, as is more usual with such castles

Muness
Castle was built by Laurence Bruce
in1598; it was burned by French raiders in 1627 and although repaired it was no
longer in use by the end of the 17th century, The Bruce family sold

Muness Castle
in 1718 only for it to be abandoned by 1750. It has been roofless since 1774

One may read over the door of the ruins: "List ye to knaw yis building
quha began, Laurence the Bruce he was that worthy man, Quha ernestly his airis
and ofspring prayis To help and not to hurt this vork alwayis. The zeir of God
1598."

The building is in the care of Historic Scotland.

My special thanks go
to Hilary Melton-Butcher whose castle theme has kept me on my toes throughout
this year’s A-Z Challenge – we only had the same castle twice!

Sunday, 29 April 2012

1949 saw the 25th Anniversary of the Universal Postage Union for which Great Britain issued a set of four stamps - 2.1/2d blue; 5d violet, 6d purple; 1s brown. I only have one of these:

Universal Postage Union - 1949

For the hundredth anniversary of Sir Rowland Hill, the postal reformer, there was a set of four multicoloured stamps - again I have only one, that of the man himself. The set contained 10p Sir Rowland Hill; 11p General Post c 1839; 13p London Post c 1839; 15p Uniform Postage 1840.

Centenary of death of Sir Rowland Hill

I was disappointed that I do not have anything relating to stamps themselves but did find some post boxes. I just don't know their year of issue (hope someone can tell me.)

Christmas Post

Thanks to the postmark showing a postcode I know my last stamp was sent from Teesside in 2002.

Postbox

I must say I thing the colour on this stamp is a bit on the pale side.

Saturday, 28 April 2012

In A-Z last year I wrote about the Yorkshire town of Yarm. In doing so I mentioned Yarm Castle. I make no apologies for repeating the Castle again as castles have been my theme this year.

The Georgian town of Yarm has a High Street that has been voted the best in Britain in previous years. It's not surprising then that we are on a tourist trail. Of course tourists are told that the Castle is something they must see.

The tourist 'trail' starts with the Town Hall which dominates the High Street.

Yarm Town Hall - built in 1710

To get to the Castle you cross the road at the traffic lights and proceed to High Church Wynd, which runs at right angles to the High Street and down which you can see one arch of a railway viaduct built with 7 million bricks.

High Church Wynd

Half way down the Wynd you will pass Flood Cottage which has a line above its garage door denoting the height of flood water in 1851.

Flood Cottage

At the far end of the Wynd should you look back, this is the view:

High Church Wynd - looking back

The building on the left is Hope Cottage.

Hope Cottage & 4 of 43 viaduct arches

Probably the oldest dwelling in Yarm

The front of Hope Cottage is in West Street where castle seekers will find success, but they need to keep their eyes open:-

Yarm Castle silhouetted against the sky

No-one can tell you who built it or when. It has many windows it seems, but not a single room.

The splendour of Yarm Castle.

It has a commanding view of West Street from its position on a garage or shed roof.

If you are wondering what the tower is to the right of the keep, perhaps you can work it out from a different angle.

Yarm Castle on the left

On the right is the Town Hall which you might like to compare with the one where you started from on this tourist trail. Hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have being you guide.

Hilary Melton-Butcher used X for X Castles yesterday to give us a potted history of castle development; I wonder where Yarm would have fitted in.

When I could find no castle beginning with X in
Britain
I thought I had fallen three fences from home. In the event I have finished up
with a very short post.

Then I remembered the X-files and knew the
truth was out there somewhere. Somewhere proved to be the only town in Germany
beginning with that elusive X = Xanten.

Engraving of Winnenthal Castle, Xanten - 1746

Haus Winnenthal, also called Burg Winnenthal
and Castle Winnenthal at Xanten, Germany is one of the oldest surviving water
castles on the lower Rhine. It was probably
built in the 14th century. It was partly demolished in the 19th
century with the buildings left being used for agricultural purposes. After
heavy damage in World War II the manor house was in ruins for a long time
before it was rebuilt in the 1980s. Now together with the castle it is a
residence for senior citizens.

Thursday, 26 April 2012

We have just commemorated the hundredth anniversary of the loss of the Titanic, but in three years time it will be 100 years since the sinking of the Lusitania. When I wrote about the lost of the Andorra Star, another ship torpedoed, in WWII a friend sent me these photos of a memorial.

Memorial in Tealby

But when you see the detail you find that it includes a victim from the Lusitania.

Lost on the Lusitania

Closer to home my local church includes this small stain glass window which shows the church itself.

Kirklevington Church window

Regular participants will know that I worked in Norway for a while. While on my travels I came across this church.

The town of Warkworth
and its castle occupy a loop of the River Coquet in Northumberland less than a
mile from England’s
north-east coast.

Warkworth Castle (Turner - 1799)

Warkworth Castle plan

The keep is square with the angles cut away;
turrets project at right angles from each side; a lofty centre tower commands a
great range of country.

The area in front of the keep occupies more
than an acre and is surrounded with walls and towers, some walls remain at a
height of 35 feet.

Warkworth Castle 2008

The first mention of Warkworth Castle is in a
charter of 1157-1164 when Henry II granted the castle and surrounding manor to
the Norman Roger fitz Richard whose son Robert is believed to have undertaken
substantial building work at Warkworth. Robert hosted King John at the castle
in 1213.

The castle descended through the family line
and it was a later Robert fitz John with whom King Edward II stayed for a night
at Warkworth in 1292. In 1310 John de Clavering, son of Robert, assumed control
of the family estates. After the death of de Clavering and his wife Henry de
Percy, 2nd Baron Percy took control of Warkworth Castle
having been promised the Clavering’s property by Edward III. Warkworth became
the Percy’s preferred family home.

The last Percy earl died in 1670. In the mid-18th
century Hugh Smithson took the name of Percy when he married an indirect Percy
heiress and founded the dynasty of the Dukes of Northumberland. The 8th
Duke gave custody of the castle to the state in 1922. Since 1984 English
Heritage has cared for the site; Warkworth
Castle is a Grade I listed building
and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Richard Jones in his Haunted Castles of Britain
and Ireland says that, “the lower floors (of the keep) possess a distinct
chilling aura, and dogs show a marked reluctance to enter them; and if they do
they quickly become alarmed, Children entering its dark interior have also been
know to become silent and contemplative – which for stressed parents at least,
can become something of a welcomed relief.”

Warkworth Hermitage - 1814 exterior

The hollow containing the Hermitage may be seen
from the castle hill. The Hermitage is on the north bank of the River Coquet
and can only be reached by boat. The story of the Hermitage concerns Isabel the
beautiful daughter of the lord of Widdrington
Castle, a near neighbour of Warkworth
and Sir Bertram, the lord of Bothal
Castle.

While Sir Bertram was feasting at Alnwick Castle with other Percy followers, Lady
Isabel’s maid presented with a helmet from her lady; the accompanying message
was that for Sir Bertram to win her over he must perform some deed of daring.
Lord Percy immediately set a day to march against the Scots in which Bertram
might test his helmet.

In the conflict that followed Sir Bertram was
seriously wounded and carried to Warkworth
Castle where it was
thought he would die. Isabel heard the news and set out on horseback to visit
and nurse him. The two men with her were unable to prevent her being met and
carried off by another prospective lover, a Scottish chief.

Bertram recovered and set out for Scotland to
search for her. Unbeknown to him his brother had already departed, without
telling Bertram on the same rescue mission.

Both discovered where Isabel was imprisoned.
When Sir Bertram arrived at the fortress where she was held he saw a Scot going
off with Isabel. Not recognising his brother Bertram rushed to the attack.
Isabel threw herself between them and was mortally wounded; the brother died
too.

In grief and remorse Bertram renounced the
world and became Brother Benedict. Giving away his wealth he scooped out
Warkworth Hermitage for himself and built a chapel for the tomb and effigy of
the slain Isabel with his own image kneeling at her feet. From the cell of
penance in the hermitage there is a window through which a kneeling penitent
can see Isabel’s grave in the chapel.

After Brother Benedict’s death the Percys
maintained a priest to reside in the Hermitage and to celebrate masses for his
soul. This tradition was continued till the dissolution of the monasteries.

Wednesday, 25 April 2012

I feel quite justified in using Belvoir
Castle for V; it is situated in the Vale of Belvoir in Leicestershire; it has a ‘V’ in its name and its name translates as ‘beautiful view.’

Belvoir Castle 2011 (aerial view)

The castle, in its commanding position, has
breathtaking views across the Vale of Belvoir and is the fourth castle which has stood on the site since Norman times. The existing castle was completed in
the early 19th century after complete or partial destruction of
previous buildings.

The first castle built c1070 with a large
central square stone keep and surrounding wall lasted for nearly 400 years
before being demolished in 1464 during the Wars of the Roses when its owner,
Lord Ros, was executed for supporting the Lancastrian cause.

A second castle was built during the reign of
Henry VIII (1509 -1547) by the Manners family who had inherited the castle when
the Ros family died out in 1508. This castle, a heavily fortified medieval
building, stood for c120 years until it was again destroyed during the Civil War.
After the war the Earl of Rutland, a Manners’ descendant, rebuilt a classical
style mansion on the castle site – an enormous house with four wings round a
large courtyard.

In 1703 the 9th Earl of Rutland was
created Duke of Rutland but when the 5th Duke married Elizabeth
Howard in 1799 she wanted a more traditional castle. The previous castle was
rebuilt as the fine Gothic
Castle that stands there
today.

Belvoir Castle (Jones Views)

Belvoir Castle has been the home of the Manners family
for 500 years and the seat of the Dukes of Rutland for over three centuries to
the present day.

Although the name Belvoir originated with the
French-speaking Norman conquerors, the native Anglo Saxons unable to get their
tongues round the foreign word called it “Beaver Castle” – and its been
pronounced “Beaver” ever since.

Belvoir Castle

If you are waiting for a ghostly connection you
may be disappointed. However, the witches of Belvoir are inextricably linked
with the Francis the 6th Earl of Rutland and his second wife
Countess Cecilia.

A local woman named Joan Flower and her
daughters Margaret and Philippa were considered to be witches in league with
the Devil. The three had been servants to the Countess until they were
dismissed when Margaret was caught pilfering.

Soon afterwards the Earl and Countess suffered
convulsions; they recovered but their two sons subsequently died of sudden
illnesses and strange sickness. Their daughter, Lady Catherine became the next
to feel the witches’ revenge although she survived. At Christmas 1618 the three
women were arrested and taken to Lincoln
jail. Joan Flower protested her innocence demanded bread and butter saying it
would never go through her if she were guilty. When she put it in her mouth she
promptly choked to death.

Margaret Flower admitted she had stolen the
glove of the young heir and given it to her mother who stroked her familiar cat
with it; dipped the glove in hot water and pricked it whereupon the young boy
had fallen ill. They had also taken feathers from the bed of the Rutlands, and
a pair of gloves, which they had boiled in water, mingled with a little blood.
This practice was to prevent the Earl and Countess having any more children.

Associated with the Flowers in their practices
were three other women Anne Baker, Joan Willimot and Ellen Greene all from
local Leicestershire villages.

Three witches

These three women were condemned to death along
with the Flower sisters. Margaret and Philippa Flower were executed at Lincoln on 11th
March 1618(1619?) for the alleged crime of witchcraft,

Note

One source says the Flowers were hanged;
another that they were burnt to death.

Tuesday, 24 April 2012

Uffington Castle sits on the northern face of the
Berkshire Downs in Oxfordshire just to the south of the famous White Horse cut
in the hillside. Its is designated as an ‘Iron Age Hillfort’ but archaeological
finds suggest that it dates from the Bronze Age around 800 – 700 BC. The fort’s
shape is defined by a single rampart as a rough pentagon; its importance to the
early Celtic tribes was its position commanding the Ridgeway, the ancient track
that runs across England from
the coast near Dover to Illchester in Somerset.

Uffington Castle - 2009

It has been said that Uffington was Mount Badon
where King Arthur defeated the Saxons in c AD518 and suggested that the White
Horse is actually an effigy of the dragon slain by St George on the nearby
natural chalk outcrop of Dragon Hill.

Uffington Castle - ditch and bank on south-east side - 2006

Uffington Castle does not appear to have been ever
densely populated; despite evidence of buildings inside it wasn’t permanently
occupied either. The fort may even have been a spiritual centre rather than a
defensive structure. Wayland’s Smithy, a Neolithic burial chamber is a mere
1.1/4miles away along the Ridgeway and contributes to the area’s mystical and
spiritual significance.

Monday, 23 April 2012

Back in Anglo-Saxon times, c 710 AD, King Ine
of Wessex “timbered him a
burgh” at Taunton in what is now the south west county of Somerset. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
related that Ethelburga, his consort, destroyed it 12 years later when
recapturing it from rebels.

A minster and a manor house built by the
Bishops of Wessex were later to occupy the site before the minster became an
Augustinian Priory in c 1120. Henry de Blois transformed the manor house into a
mighty castle in 1138 during the Civil War in the reign of King Stephen.

Walls of Taunton Castle - 2009

In the first half of the 12th
century Taunton
was a typical Norman keep, 50 feet by 40, with three stories and 13 feet thick
walls. Now it is more Edwardian than Norman
in appearance.

The outer ward of the castle has been invaded
by two hotels, but the great gate-house opening into this enclosure dates from
the time of Edward I (1272-1307. The inner ward is ‘triangular in shape with
the Great Hall on the north side.

Inevitably the castle has a reputation of being haunted, the Great Hall of
the castle especially. Somerset
has many traditions and legends relating back to the Monmouth Rebellion of
1685. Somerset
people suffered at the hands of the authorities after the failed uprising. Taunton Castle was the scene for some of the
trails of the Bloody Assizes.

The rebellion was led by James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, the
illegitimate son of Charles II and his mistress Lucy Walter. After the death of
his father in 1685 Monmouth tried to win the throne from his uncle James II.
Having captured Taunton
his followers took up residence in the Castle where he was proclaimed King. His
supporters celebrated at the castle with wine and dancing. Their high spirits
were to be short lived.

In the early morning of 6 July 1685, Monmouth’s army was crushed at the
Battle of Sedgemoor. ON 15 July James Scott was beheaded in London. The King sent the infamous Hanging
Judge Jeffries west to dole out savage retribution.

Excalibur and Taunton Castle Gate - 2009

It was in Taunton
Castle’s Great Hall that
Jeffries condemned 200 of Monmouth’s followers to the gallows, with many more
sold into slavery. The women who had taken part in the dancing were flogged.

The museum, now occupying the Great Hall is said
to echo to the marching feet of soldiers bringing prisoners to trial. A man in
period dress and wig, carrying a sword and pistol has been seen. In addition to
poltergeist activity the ghost of a fair-haired woman in 17th
century costume also appears in the castle.

Castle Hotel guests often hear the soothing strains of a phantom violin or
fiddle which are said to be sounds of the Duke of Monmouth and his followers
continuing to celebrate a ‘victory’ for which they were unknowingly to suffer
Jeffries bloody justice.

Sunday, 22 April 2012

I got snowed under last weekend with things I had to do, so missed out on Sunday Stamps. Just in case someone has reported me missing I've decided to call in the police this week.

Metropolitan Police - 150th anniversary 1979

It's interesting to see how times have moved on. I can't remember the last time I saw a policeman wearing a helmet and vehicles like that on the 11.1/2p stamp have disappeared. How close we get to a policeman in our village these days depends on how low their helicopter is flying.

Mind you we are over 250 miles from the Metropolitan Police area.

We live in a free country and it seemed right to show our police for Viridian's free choice this week. Check out others at Sunday Stamps 67

Friday, 20 April 2012

The Percy family have been an influential
family in northern England
since the days of the Norman Conquest, William de Percy, a favourite of William
the Conqueror, built the manor house at Spofforth in what is now North Yorkshire. In 1215 Richard de Percy and insurgent
Barons are reputed to have drawn up the Magna Carta there.

In 1224 Henry II granted a licence to a later
William de Percy to hold a Friday market in the town. It was in 1308 that
Edward II gave Henry de Percy a licence to fortify the manor house.

Spofforth Castle sits on a small rocky outcrop
overlooking the town. Only the west range, which contained the principle
apartments, still stands; earthworks and low walls are all that are left of the
north south and east ranges.

Spofforth Castle - 2009

In 1403 Harry Hotspur (immortalised by
Shakespeare), Baron of Spofforth and born at the castle, was killed at the
Battle of Shrewsbury.

During the
Wars of the Roses the Percys supported the House of Lancaster. After the Battle
of Townton in 1461 the Yorkists burnt the castle and plundered the local
countryside. The castle lay in ruins for nearly a hundred years before it was
restored by Henry, Lord Percy. By this time it was Alnwick Castle
that had become the Percys seat. [A for
Alnwickin A-Z Challenge 2011 here]

Spofforth Castle - 2011

The last occupant of the castle was a steward
who died in 1604. Spofforth
Castle was finally
reduced to a ruin during the Civil War.

But what of Spofforth’s ghost?

A bluish-white female appears for a moment on
the top of the tower before plunging to the ground. The spectre is made even
more gruesome by only the upper half of her body being visible. Who she was and
why she killed herself has never been ascertained; she disappears at the moment
of impact with the ground.

I toyed with the idea of using
Scotney Castle
in Kent
for the letter S; instead you may check it out here

The ruins of the 13th century Rait Castle,
near Nairn in the Highland region of Scotland have been designated a
scheduled ancient monument and a Class A listed building but stand largely
neglected and over grown. Attempts to preserve it have been hampered by modern
day disputes over who owns it. The castle lies on the estates which were home
to the Thanes of Cawdor of Shakespearean fame, with lineage traceable back to
MacBeth.

Rait Castle

The story of Rait
Castle is mixed up with a bloody
episode in Scotland’s
history of clan warfare, such that large parts of it remain intact as locals
were reluctant to plunder its stones for reuse after it had been abandoned in
1442. It the 1200s the land in the area had been held by the de Raits and Clan
Chatton (led by Clan Mackintosh) before the castle was won by Comyns (Cummings).

Rivalry between the Cummings and the
Mackintoshes came to a head at a grand banquet at the castle. Ostensibly the
banquet was intended to heal the rifts between the families, but the Cummings
planned to slay their guests.

However the daughter of the Cumming chieftain
had a young Mackintosh as a lover to whom she disclosed the plot. A large
boulder near the castle was their meeting place and it was there at “Stone of
the Maiden” that she revealed the Cummings intentions.

The Mackintoshes attended the feast, each man
with a dirk hidden in his plaid. The signal for the slaughter was the entrance
of a bull’s head and a toast to “Memory of the Dead.” Before the Cummings could
draw their swords the forewarned Mackintoshes struck with their dirks. Only the
chief escaped.

The enraged chief cornered his daughter in a
turret where she sought to escape by leaping out of a window. Before she could
do so, the chief sliced off both her hands with a broadsword.

The castle has been empty since that night of
horror. Empty that is except for the girl in a blood-red dress who has no hands
and who still haunts the ruins.

Thursday, 19 April 2012

In 2008 our children took my wife and I to Tresco on the Scilly Isles to celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary. One of the highlights of the trip was our visit to Tresco Abbey Gardens.

Tresco Abbey - 2008

With the garden theme this week I now regret not taking more photos while we were there, but here's a few.

The Abbey garden is now one of the foremost in the country. The whole garden is protected by a belt of trees that were originally planted in the early 19th century by Augustus Smith who had leased the island from the Duchy of Cornwall. Up to that time there had been no trees growing in Tresco. In 1990 a series of storms culminated in a hurricane that blew down many of the trees; since then over 60,000 replacements have been planted to re-establish the shelter belt.

Central path leading to the Temple of Neptune

Somehow it seems appropriate that there is a statue of an early Earth goddess,

Gaia

Then we came across this rather splendid tree, all I need is a guidebook to tell me what it is.

It has not been manicured in any way; this is how it grows.

Also in the gardens is a museum with a collection of figureheads from ships wrecked on the islands.

Valhalla

Valhalla is now managed by the National Maritime Museum.

Statue of Children

This statue can be viewed at the end of a path between the Abbey Garden's trees.

But I'll admit you can't see it at all clearly in this shot.

But outside the garden, near the island's refuse tip there is no mistaking this greedy lot waiting for their meal.